Butane cigarette lighter construction



Oct. 25, 1966 F. c. MEYERS BUTANE CIGARETTE LIGHTER CONSTRUCTION Filed June 9, 1965 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofltice 3,Z80,ti9fl' Patented Oct. 25, 1966 3,280,600 BUTANE CIGARETTE LHGHTER CONSTRUCTION Frederick Charles Meyers, 916 ole Drive, Brielle, NJ. Filed .iune 9, 1965, Ser. No. 462,639 Claims. (Cl. 677.1)

This invention relates to an improved butane cigarette lighter construction.

A comparatively recent innovation in the cigarette lighter field insofar as mass public acceptance is concerned in the use of butane gas as a cigarette lighter fuel. The operational advantages of this type of fuel are markedly superior to the conventional liquid flammable fluid 1i ghters which have long enjoyed a wide public acceptance and use.

In the conventional flammable fuel lighters, the fuel supply is usually exhausted quickly either by frequent use or evaporation of the volatile fuel. The use of an exposed wick structure hastens the evaporation of the fuel and gives rise to the need for replenishing frequently the fuel supply. The use of butane gas as a fuel eliminates the need for an exposed wick structure, but the necessity for storing this gas under pressure in order to maintain it in a liquid state While in storage has given rise to other problems. In order to prevent the butane gas from evaporating it has been found necessary to provide some form of positive shut-off valve structure on the fuel reservoir.

In the past it has been proposed to utilize a valve structure operated by the opening and closing of the cigarette lighter c ap. This arrangement has not been altogether satisfactory, since often times the top to a cigarette lighter is not closed immediately, and in the case of the top serving as a shut-off valve, this means that gas is constantly escaping,

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cigarette lighter construction which overcomes the disadvantages of conventional lighters of both the liquid flammable fuel and the butane gas types.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cigarette lighter construction having positive-acting valve opening and closing means actuated by the user as part of the normal procedure for lighting a cigarette.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a manu ally operated valve which presents little resistance to opening, but which provides a large closing force for holding the valve in a shut-off position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cigarette lighter in which the top structure is moved completely out of the way in the open position so as to avoid all contact with the flame.

These features and objects are realized in accordance with the present invention in a structure comprising a hollow body portion having a plurality of interconnecting bores adapted to contain a flammable fuel. Valve means are mounted in the body portion for controlling escape of the flammable fuel in the form of a gas. Uniform discharge of the gas is assured by utilizing a wick member extending into each of two adjacent bores and passing directly under the discharge orifice of the valve. A windshield member is mounted pivotally upon the body portion, and one end of the windshield is adapted to press upon the valve structure for positive closing. A thumb rest member is mounted on the other end of the windshield member, and this thumb rest has a hollow recess contain-ing a curved leaf spring member. The curved leaf spring member has a reversed curve portion mounted in the hollow recess and a single protruding portion which bears against the body portion and urges the thumb rest into an upward position, thereby forcing the windshield member down upon the valve means and providing a positipe shut-off. The particular configuration of this leaf spring member provides a maximum force in the upward direction when the valve is completely closed. The spring is shaped where it contacts the body portion so that very little resistance is offered as the thumb rest is urged downwardly when the lighter is in use.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in cross section showing a lighter constructed in accordance with the principles of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the lighter shown in FIG. 1.

The invention will be understood more readily by referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings in which a lighter constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown as comprising a hollow body portion 1 and cap member 3. The hollow body portion 1 is preferably made of a moldable plastic material, and the top member 3 is preferably made of a suitable metal.

The hollow body portion 1 comprises three interconnecting chambers 5, 7 and 9 joined by apertures 11 and 13. Chambers 5, 7 and 8 are adapted to contain a flammable fuel, such as liquid butane, which is inserted through filling ports indicated generally by the numerals 15 and 17. The preferred method of filling is by using two hollow needles inserted through valve ports 15 and 17, respectively. Air is evacuated from the interconnecting chambers 5, 7 and 9 through a needle inserted into one of the ports, and the liquid butane is forced into the empty chambers through the second needle inserted through the other port. The external entrances to the valve ports are subsequently sealed to present a -substan tially smooth appearance as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. This structure provides a leak-proof container.

A wick member 19 extends downwardly into chambers 7 and 9, and passes up and over partition wall 21, which serves as a valve seat on which the wick is compressed to control the rate at which the butane fuel escapes. The pressure on the wick is adjust-ed by means of knurled wheel 23, which may be operated conveniently by the users thumb.

A hollow recess within the body portion contains a flint member 25 and compression spring 27, which urges the flint 25 upwardly into contact with the spark wheel 29. The spark wheel 29 is rotatably mounted between the upstanding sides of windshield member 31. Windshield member 31 is so designed at one end as to have an in wardly projecting portion 33 which engages valve plunger 35 to force plunger 35 into engagement with the valve sealing washer 37. This arrangement provides a positive shut-off of the valve when the windshield member is urged downwardly onto valve plunger 35.

A thumb rest member 39 is mounted on windshield member 31 at the end opposite the valve. Windshield member 31 is pivoted about axis 41 so that an upward pressure on thumb rest 39 forces the valve plunger 35 downwardly. In this manner a positive closing of the valve is provided by upward pressure on thumb rest 39.

Thumb rest 39 has a hollow recess 43 in which is mounted a reversely curved leaf spring member 45, having a protruding portion 47 bearing against the hollow body portion to urge thumb rest member upwardly during periods of non-use. Spring member 45 is so shaped that its maximum upward force is exerted in the fully closed position shown in the drawings. Downward pressure on thumb rest 39 is met with little resistance, and this resistance decreases as the downward movement increases. This action is in contrast with the conventional compression springs usually found associated with thumb rests, whereby additional downward pressure merely serves to compress the spring and increasethe resistance to downward motion.

The principle of operation of this spring 45 will be understood more readily by referring to the protruding portion 47 shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings. It will be seen from the position shown that spring 45 will com press only slightly as thumb rest 39 is moved downwardly. This compression will be evidenced by a bending in protruding portion 47 which will continue for only a very short distance until the end of portion 47 begins to slide down the wall of body portion 1. When this sliding motion begins, there is very litle extra effort required to push downwardly on thumb rest 39. This ease of operation will be appreciated when the present arrangement is compared to the action of a conventional thumb rest which usually has a spiral compression spring mounted thereunder so thatthe further down the thumb rest is pushed, the moreresistance is offered to the downward motion.

The positive shut-off action provided by the constant upward pressure of spring 45 on thumb rest 39 is overcome in use by the downward action of the users thumb when the spark wheel 29 is activated. In normal use the thumb used to rotate the spark wheel 29' comes to rest with a downward pressure on thumb rest 39, thereby removing the downward pressure on valve plunger 35 exerted by the inwardly projection portion 33 of windshield member 31. This action permits the butane gas to escape upwardly through the bore of valve plunger 35 and be ignited by the sparking of flint 25. When the thumb pressure is released spring member 45 forces thumb rest 39 upwardly and causes the valve plunger to be urged downwardly to cut off the flow of butane gas. This cutoff action takes place immediately upon releasing the thumb pressure thereby minimizing gas consumption and eliminating the fire hazard which would be present without the positive shut-off action.

The top member 3 is tapered to insure that the cap 3 will open through an are greater than 90 and, therefore will not overhang the gas orifice in valve plunger 35. This insures that there will be no burn hazard produced by having the flame come directly in contact with the metal top.

While the invention has been shown and described with particular reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A lighter comprising a hollow body portion adapted to contain a flammable fuel, valve means mounted in said body portion for controlling the escape of said flammable fuel, a windshield member, means pivotally mounting said windshield member on said body portion so that a portion near one end of said windshield member bears against said valve means, a thumb rest member having a hollow recess and mounted on the other end of said windshield member, and a curved leaf spring member mounted in said hollow recess, said leaf spring member being biased so that said valve means is urged toward a normally shut position.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said leaf spring member comprises a reversely curved portion mounted in said recess and a protruding portion extending upwardly to bear against said body portion to urge said thumb rest upwardly and thereby force said windshield member down against said valve means, said spring member exerting maximumforce when said thumb rest is in its uppermost position.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said body portion comprises a plurality of intercommunicating bores and said valve means include a wick member extending into each of two adjacent bores.

4. The combination according to claim 1 including a top member mounted on said hollow body portion, said top member being tapered so as to permit said top to open through an arc greater than whereby said top does not overhang said valve means in the fully open position.

5. A lighter comprising a hollow bodyportion having a plurality of intercommunicating bores for containing a flammable fuel, valve means mounted in said body for controlling theescape of said flammable fuel, said valve means comprising a wick member extending downwardly into each of two adjacent bores, a windshield member pivotally mounted on said body portion to bear against said valve means in a normally closed condition, a thumb rest member mounted on one end of said windshield member, said thumb rest having a hollow recess containing a reversely curved leaf spring member with a protruding portion extending upwardly to bear against said body portion, whereby said spring member exerts maximum force upwardly to bear against said body portion, whereby said spring member exerts maximum force upwardly against said thumb rest to hold said valve means securely closed, and a top member mounted on said hollow body portion, said top member being tapered so as to permit said top to open through an are greater than 90, whereby said top does not overhang saidv-alve means in the fully open position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,092,988 6/1963 Meyers 67-7.1 3,161,034 12/1964 Meyers 67'-7.1

EDWARD J. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner, 

1. A LIGHTER COMPRISING A HOLLOW BODY PORTION ADAPTED TO CONTAIN A FLAMMABLE FUEL, VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID BODY PORTION FOR CONTROLLING THE ESCAPE OF SAID FLAMMABLE FUEL, A WINDSHIELD MEMBER, MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID WINDSHIELD MEMBER ON SAID BODY PORTION SO THAT A PORTION NEAR ONE END OF SAID WINDSHIELD MEMBER BEARS AGAINST SAID VALVE MEANS, A THUMB REST MEMBER HAVING A HOLLOW RECESS AND MOUNTED ON THE OTHER END OF SAID WINDSHIELD MEMBER, AND A CURVED LEAF SPRING MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID HOLLOW RECESS, SAID LEAF SPRING MEMBER BEING BIASED SO THAT SAID VALVE MEANS IS URGED TOWARD A NORMALLY SHUT POSITION. 